Ground-joint connection.



P. E.'SWOPE, JR. GROUND JOINT CONNECTION.

APPLIGATION FILED ENE-.17, 1909.

Patented Jan. ;8,1910

UNITED sm es PATENT onrron.

FREDERICK E. ISWOPE,-JR., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GROUND-JGINT CONNECTION.

wherein means are provided for adjusting the clamp, thereby adapting the same to be secured to difierentsizes of pipes and means being provided for tightening the connectionaround the pipe and locking it in position so that any movement of the same is prevented and the clamp is firmly held-in position.

It further consists of a novel construction of a ound connection which consists of a .flexib eband made in sections, said sections havingmeans thereon for interlocking the sectlons at various points in order to adapt the band to receive diflerent sizes of pipes,

means being also provided for securing the' sections togetherv to lock the same in pos1- tion around the pipe and one of said sectionshaving means thereon for readily and quickly securing the same to the end of the conductor. 1 It further consists of a novel construction of a ground connection'eonsisting of a flexi ble band in sections adapted to interlock with each other and adapted tobe adjusted for pipes ofdifierent diameters,-one of said sections being deflected .in order to adapt the same to be tightened around one end of a conductor, the end of the other section being deflected rearw-ardly upon itself in order to form' an abutment for the head of the bolt and thenut for the bolt beingprevented from rotation owing to themanner in whichthe band is deflectedin' proximity thereto. It further consists of other novel features of construction all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose drawings .one form thereof since this embodiment is at present preferred by me and I of illustrating my invention I have shown 1n the accompanying Specification of Letters Patent. 'Patent'ed 1311.18, 1910. Applieation filed March 17, 1909. Serial No. 483,936. v

gives reliable and satisfactory results in practice, although itis to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consist-scan be variously arranged and organized and that myinvention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a ground oint connection embodying my in- .vention, the same being shown in assembled position with respect to a pipe. Fig. 2 rep-' resents a sectional view-of Fig-'1. Fig. 3

represents a side elevation ofiny device in assembled position withrespect ,to a pipe. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view showing the flexible adjusting band in detached position, said adjusting band being of greater length than the corresponding adjusting band seen in Figs. 1 and 2, in order to adapt the connection'to be secured to pipes of a larger diameter.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring'to the drawingsj 'l designates the body portion of the clamp which is preferably formed of copper or other suitable conducting material and preferably of thin material in orderto form a flexible band said band being provided at one end with the head 2, having a slot 3 therethrough.

4 designates a lug preferably integral with the body portion and located in alinement with or in close proximity to the outer edge of the slot '3, said lug extending out wardly from the'body and being curved, as will be seen from Fig. 1.

' The body portion 1 is deflected in order to form the flat portion 5 which is provided with an'apertu're (3, through which passes a screw"'(', the latter being provided-with a suitable nut 8. -Above the flattened portion 5 the end of the body 1 is bent upon itself toform a tubular casing9 which is adapted to receive the end of the conductor when it is inserted therein, it being noted that the inner sides ofthe casing 9 are serrated as indicated at 10 in order that the teeth formed thereby may be pressed firmly against the conductor after it has been inserted in place in the casing 9. Owing to the manner in which the body portion 1 1s deflected to form an abutment for the nut 8 the rotation of the latter will be limited by its abutting against the body portion 1 when the screw 7 is adjusted.

. 11 designates an adjusting band of any suitable size, the same being preferably formed of copper-or other suitable conducting material and preferably of flexible material so that the inner portion thereof may conform to the curvature of the pipe and of the body 1, it being understood from Figs. 1 and 2 that this ad usting band 11 is adapted to be passed through the slot 3 in the head 2 of the body 1. The adjusting band 11 is provided with any desired number of apertures 12 of any desired shape with which the lug 4 ,is adapted to interlock in order that the body 1 and the band 11 can be adjusted with respect to each other and held in their adjusted position in order to accommodate pipes of different diameter.

The end of the adjusting band 11 is deflected rearwardly upon itself in order to reinforce the end thereof and to form an abutment for the head of the screw 7 which passes through the aperture 14, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1. The adjusting band 11, seen in Fig.4, is precisely similar to that seen in the other figures of the. drawings excepting that the same is shown as being of a greater length than the adjusting strip shown in the other figures, it being apparent that the adjusting band may be of any desired length and the apertures therein may be located at any des red points thereon. In attaching the ground .joint connection 'with the pipe, the adjust- 111g band 11 is placed through the slot 3 so as to contact with the pipe and the lug 4 3 interlocks with an aperture 12, such aperture depending, as will be apparent, upon the diameter of the pi e.' Thescrew 7 is then placed in the openlng 14 in the adjusting band 11 and through the opening 6, the threaded portion of said screw engaging the nut '8 so that when thescrew 7 is tightened the body portion 1 and the adjusting-band 11 will be rigidly clamped around the pipe '1 so as to form a good connection therewith. The end of the conductor is secured in the socket 9 by deflecting the serrated edges 10 thereof against the conductor, as will be readily apparent'to those skilled in this art.

By forming the connection of-two parts in the manner herein disclosed, such parts being adapted to interlock with each other, a clamp is formed which may be readily and quickly adapted to be employed in conjunction with pipes of different diameters so that when the fastening device is assembled, the ground connection will be rigidly secured in place and since the body portion and the adjusting band are formed of flexi- -portion,a flexible adjusting' b d ble material, these will readily conform to the curvature of the pipe when the fastening device is adjusted.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawpoint thereon in order to accommodate the clip for various sizes of pipes and by employing adjusting bands of different lengths my novel construction or ground joint connection may be readily and quickly adapted for pipes of any size, met with in practice, without the use of any tools. Owing to the manner in which the outer end of the adjusting band through which the fastening device passes is deflected there is no liability of the fastening device breaking or tearing the end of the adjusting band, when the same is tightened,

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction of a ground joint connection which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the foregoing and while, in the present instance, I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof which gives good results in practice, it is to be understood that .thesame is susceptible of modifications in various particulars'without departing from the sfipirit and scope of the invention or sacri cing any of its advantages.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. In a device of the characterdescribed,

a flexible body portion having a laterally extending slot therein, a flexible adjusting band passing through said slot from the outside inwardly, whereby the end thereof is tightly held between the body portion and the conductor when the device is in operative position, said band having a plurality of openings withonev of which said lug engages, andmeans passing through said body portion and said band for drawing the ends thereof together for locking the same around a suitable conductor.

'2. ha device of-the character described, a flexible body portion having an'enlarged head anda laterally extending slot therein, an outwardly extending lu said body extending through said slot'and having a plurality of openings with one of which said lug engages for holding the band and bodyportion together, and means passing through said body and band for drawing the ends thereof together for locking thesame around a suitable conducton 3. In a deviceof the character described,

a flexible body portion having'an enlarged said body and band for drawing the ends head and a laterally extending slot therein, thereof together for locking the same around 10 acurved outwardly extending lug on said a suitable conductor.

body portion a flexible adjusting band eX- I 1 5 tending throiigh said slot and having a plu- FREDERICK slvol I rality of openings With one of which said Witnesses:

lug engages for holding the band and body C. D. MGVAY, portion together, and means passing through S. FAIRBANKS. 

